可乐与微笑A Coke and a Smile修订版本.docxVIP

可乐与微笑 I know now that the man who sat with me on the old wooden stairs that hot summer night over thirty-five years ago was not a tall man. But to a five-year-old, he was a giant. We sat side by side, watching the sun go down behind the old Texaco service station across the busy street. A street that I was never allowed to cross unless accompanied by an adult, or at the very least, an older sibling. 我现在知道， 35 年前那个炎热夏夜和我坐在破旧的木楼梯上 的老人并不高大，但对一个 5 岁的孩子来说，他却是一个巨人。我们 并排坐着，看着太阳落在繁忙的街对面那个老德克萨克加油站的背 后。除非有大人或至少一个哥哥或姐姐陪着，我从未被允许穿过那条 街 。 Cherry-scented smoke from Grampy^ s pipe kept the hungry mosquitoes at bay while gray, wispy swirls danced around our heads. Now and again, he blew a smoke ring and laughed as I tried to target the hole with my finger. I, clad nightie, and Grampy, his sleeveless T-shirt, traffic. We counted cars and tried to guess next one to turn the corner. in a cool summer sat watching the the color of the 从祖父烟斗里喷岀的口色烟雾在我们脑袋周围上下旋绕，它们 散发的樱桃香味使贪焚的蚊子不敢靠近。他不时地喷出一串烟圈，在 我试 着将手指插入烟圈时他放声大笑。我穿着凉爽的小睡衣，祖父穿 着他的无 袖 T 恤，坐在那儿观看繁忙的交通。我们数着过往的车辆, 并猜想着下一辆 拐过街角的汽车的颜色。 Once again, I was caught in the middle of circumstances. The fourth born of six children, it was not uncommon that I was either too young or too old for something. This night I was both. While my two baby brothers slept inside the house, my three older siblings played with friends around the corner, where I was not allowed to go. I stayed with Grampy, and that was okay with me. I was where I wanted to be. My grandfather was baby-sitting while my mother, father and grandmother went out. 我又一次陷于两头都够不上的中间境遇，作为 6 个孩子中的老 四，很多事情对于我来说不是因为年龄太小，就是太大而不合适。那 天夜 里就是这样。我的两个小兄弟在屋里睡觉，我的另外 3 个长兄和 姐姐在拐 角与小伙伴们玩，而我是不允许去那里的。我与祖父呆在一 起，这也挺 好，正是我想呆的地方。在父母和祖母外出时，祖父就在 家看孩子。 Thirsty? Grampy asked, never removing the pipe from his mouth. Yes, was ray reply. How would you like to run over to the gas station there and get yourself a bottle of Coke? I couldnt believe my ears. Had I heard right? Was he talking to me? On my family* s modest i